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Happy Spring--or almost spring! Whether through a free webinar or an overview of our new Accounting Support Center, we hope you'll take advantage of our newest resources, tailored specifically to nonprofit needs.

Accounting support is now just a phone call away

The nuances of nonprofit accounting can be bewildering. We have the answers you're looking for and are here when you need us. With no long-term contract or ongoing fees, you get help when it matters at an affordable rate.

Clients can ask us anything, and we'll give them an accurate answer backed by years of experience. Questions include subjects such as:

Nonprofit accounting concepts

Assistance with accounting procedures in Quickbooks

Best practices for separation of duties, month end close, and expense approvals

IRS and state filing requirements

Year-end procedures, including 1099, W-9, and 990 processes

The accounting nuances of grant tracking, special events, and contributions

CausePlanet now offers Multi-Gen Series--Volume One: Working Across Generations, From Woodstock to Wikipedia, Fundraising with the Next Generation and Engaging Millennials

Multi-Gen Series--Volume One is a comprehensive look at multigenerational subjects from a variety of strategies and perspectives. This bundle of summaries contains four (4) Page to Practice™ book summaries in one (1) set so you can compare and contrast thought leadership on this topic.

The next training opportunity from the LANO Institute for Nonprofit Excellence, "Promoting Exceptional Board Leadership" (April 22, 2014 in Baton Rouge), will feature three one-hour long modules designed to strengthen governance in your organization.

The first module, Structuring for Success, will focus on aligning board operations with priorities. Board structure varies by context. It’s critical that organizations identify the committees and leadership that will enable them to succeed.

The module will begin with an overview of tools to:

1. Determine the right structure for your organization

2. Manage the work of the board and committees

3. Ensure that committees are goal oriented and aligned with priorities.

In an interactive session, participants will share their own experiences and promising practices and conclude the module with planning time devoted to their own boards.

One of the featured articles this month is by Raylene Decatur, titled, "Hiring talent: how nonprofit lifecycles impact culture and results." Here's a preview (click here for full article).

"...Considerations when hiring

"Whether hiring a new CEO or filling other senior leadership positions, the odds of making the correct hire are dramatically increased by applying lifecycle analysis while developing key performance indicators. The success of the hiring process is dependent on understanding the outcomes the individual is expected to accomplish and the range of experience, skill sets and attributes required to achieve these results. Often there is a bias toward identifying and hiring the skills required
to successfully produce the position outcomes.

"However, it is the personal attributes that determine how effectively an individual works within the organization's culture. Individuals with outstanding skill sets are often hired and then are unable to perform because they lack the characteristics to function effectively within the organization's established culture. The current and anticipated next stage of the nonprofit's lifecycle shapes culture and therefore must be fully analyzed to define the most important characteristics for a new leader..." [full article]

The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana is pleased to announce that the popular PAR Guide to the Legislature and other PAR resources are now available as a FREE mobile app for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

Search for "PAR Guide" at the Apple or Google app stores on your smart phone and download The PAR Guide 2014 today. This free app includes:

The Louisiana Legislature. State legislators' bio information, photo, sources of income, committee assignments and contact information, including touch dialing and email. No other legislative guide provides legislator income information.

Guide to the Constitutional Amendments. A quick mobile version of PAR's indispensible guide to the proposals for state constitutional amendments that will appear on the ballot statewide in Fall 2014. This guide will update automatically if new amendment proposals are added during the Spring 2014 legislative session.

Citizen's Rights to open meetings and public records. Based on PAR's popular Citizen's Rights Card, this resource provides the essential information about Louisiana sunshine laws for state and local governments.

PAR News and Commentary. The latest policy insights, recommendations and news from PAR.

App content will be updated automatically throughout the year without the need for software application upgrades. Louisiana-based software developer hSoft Consulting developed the PAR app.

Ochsner Health System provided underwriting support for the PAR Guide 2014 app and the printed 2014 PAR Guide to the Louisiana Legislature.

Please pass along information about the PAR 2014 app to your friends, business colleagues and association networks. There is no cost for this useful resource!

The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana is a private, nonprofit, non-partisan public policy research organization focused on pointing the way toward a more efficient, effective, transparent and accountable Louisiana government. PAR was founded in 1950 and is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization supported by foundation and corporate grants and individual donations.

"I am very excited about the Urban Leadership Development Initiative. This program is an opportunity to identify and engage emerging young leaders who are passionate about our inner city neighborhoods. Our goal is to equip them with the skills to make a meaningful difference."

To meet these challenges, MetroMorphosis is launching the Urban Leadership Development Initiative (ULDI). This year-long program will teach 12 select individuals how to identify opportunities, develop innovative solutions and build coalitions designed to foster positive, long-term change.

ULDI fellows will be exposed to six months of engaging dialogue, dynamic guest speakers, and some of the daily challenges within the Baton Rouge community. Partnered with a local non-profit organization for the remaining six months of the program, ULDI fellows will develop and implement a personal project designed to improve and/or address a specific urban neighborhood's need.

June 13, 2014- 12-month program will begin. ULDI fellows will meet on the second Friday and Saturday of each month.

METROMORPHOSIS: A non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, MetroMorphosis was founded in 2013. The mission of MetroMorphosis is to develop and mobilize a critical mass of engaged citizens in inner city neighborhoods to design and implement sustainable solutions to persistent community challenges.

MetroMorphosis has developed three "change agent-centered” programs to make a positive impact in North Baton Rouge and beyond: Urban Congregations, Urban Leadership Development Initiative, and Better Baton Rouge. The mission is supported by donations from individuals, corporations, grants and fundraising.

The Louisiana Partnership for Children & Families and Louisiana Children's Trust Fund are going to be visiting all the regions across Louisiana.They will be holding networking meetings with organizations who work with children and families in the next several weeks. The Partnership will bring advocacy information concerning the current legislative session and LCTF will bring information about prevention and protection for children. Information about upcoming events will also be shared. We hope you will join us when we are in your neighborhood! Baton Rouge and Florida Parishes Regions were held this week. Want to download the statewide list?

Participants will review the uses of data that is collected from volunteers, as well as ways of collecting data through technology and personal interaction. Many of these methods can be done with a minimum of staff time, but provide the basis for programmatic changes from the ‘tweak’ to the paradigm shift. Finally, understanding the different types of reports that demonstrate your program’s impact is vital to developing the proper report for funders, grant writing and oversight reports.

In the spirit of our community’s current focus on "collective impact” LANO members Kids' Orchestra and Manners of the Heart® will collaborate on a premiere fundraising event to support and advance our work in nearly 30 schools across East Baton Rouge Parish.

Manners & Melodies

on Sunday, April 13th
from 1-3 PM
at the City Club
355 North Blvd.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70801

Through music and character education our organizations are positioning elementary children of varied cultures and socio-economic backgrounds for academic and life success by building character, teamwork, and respectfulness and by teaching them to be the best they can be.